National Day of Reason
{{Short description|Annual secular celebration in the United States}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = National Day of Reason
| type = secular
| longtype =
| image =
| caption =
| official_name =
| nickname =
| observedby = United States secular humanists
| begins =
| ends =
| week_ordinal = first
| weekday = Thursday
| month = May
| celebrations =
| duration = 1 day
| scheduling = nth weekday of the month
| frequency = annual
| observances =
| relatedto = {{plainlist|
}}
File:National Day Of Reason OKC 2003.jpg
The National Day of Reason is a secular celebration for humanists, atheists, secularists, and freethinkers.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-day-of-prayer-sparks-celebrations-protests/ |title=National Day of Prayer sparks celebrations, protests |date=May 5, 2011 |access-date=May 7, 2011 |author=Lucy Madison |publisher=CBS News}}[http://www.americanhumanist.org/Press/NDR.html National Day of Reason Celebrated as an Alternative to National Day of Prayer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226185457/http://www.americanhumanist.org/Press/NDR.html |date=2008-02-26 }} American Humanist Association Press Release The day is celebrated annually on the first Thursday in May, in response to the statutory observance of a National Day of Prayer in the United States, which many atheist and secular groups deem unconstitutional.{{Cite book|title = Nonbeliever nation: The Rise of Secular Americans|last = Niose|first = David|publisher = Palgrave MacMillan|year = 2012|isbn = 9780230338951|location = New York|pages = [https://archive.org/details/nonbelievern_nios_xxxx_000_10978343/page/n182 173]–175|url = https://archive.org/details/nonbelievern_nios_xxxx_000_10978343|url-access = registration}} The purpose of the National Day of Reason is to "celebrate reason—a concept all Americans can support—and to raise public awareness about the persistent threat to religious liberty posed by government intrusion into the private sphere of worship."{{Cite news|url = http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/national-day-of-prayer-national-day-of-reason/article_ae8a0dbe-176f-5755-8815-f776734662cb.html|title = National Day of Prayer, National Day of Reason|last = Wackrow|first = Richard E.|date = 7 May 2015|work = Missoulian|access-date = 7 May 2015}} The National Day of Reason is also meant to help build community among the non-religious in the United States.{{Cite news|url = http://www.christianpost.com/news/national-day-of-reason-set-to-compete-with-2012-day-of-prayer-74125/|title = National Day of Reason Set to Compete With 2012 Day of Prayer|last = Stanley|first = Paul|date = 30 April 2012|work = Christian Post|access-date = 7 May 2015}}
History
The National Day of Reason was created by the American Humanist Association and the Washington Area Secular Humanists in 2003.{{Cite web|url = http://nationaldayofreason.org/about-the-national-day-of-reason/|title = About Us|access-date = 7 May 2015|website = National Day of Reason}} In addition to serving as a holiday for constitutionalists and secularists, the National Day of Reason was created in response to the perceived unconstitutionality of the National Day of Prayer. According to the organizers of the National Day of Reason, the National Day of Prayer, "violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution because it asks federal, state, and local government entities to set aside tax dollar supported time and space to engage in religious ceremonies".
In 2005, the New York City–based Center for Atheism began to strongly advocate for observers of the National Day of Reason to celebrate in a positive manner.{{Cite book|title = How to Separate Church and State: A Manual from the Trenches|last = McGowan|first = Barry|publisher = Hufton Mueller, LLC|year = 2012|isbn = 9780615638027|location = Alburtis, Pennsylvania|pages = 138}} They decided to donate blood as a group in order to make a "public statement about the life-affirming ideas of nonbelievers."
The National Day of Reason has taken some time to gain popularity. Over time, however, more local and state governments have been giving the Day of Reason official recognition.{{Cite news|url = http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2014/0501/On-National-Day-of-Prayer-growing-ranks-say-reason-should-have-its-day-too|title = On National Day of Prayer, Growing Ranks Say "Reason" Should Have Its Day, Too|last = Bruinius|first = Harry|date = 1 May 2014|work = The Christian Science Monitor|access-date = 7 May 2015}} In 2011 and 2012, Representative Pete Stark supported a proclamation in support of the National Day of Reason in the United States House of Representatives. For the first time, a resolution to honor the National Day of Reason was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.{{Cite news|url = http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/05/07/national-day-of-prayer.html|title = Faithful Remember Military, Others on National Day of Prayer|last = Viviano|first = JoAnne|date = 7 May 2015|work = The Columbus Dispatch|access-date = 7 May 2015}} The resolution, U.S. House Resolution 228, was proposed by Representative Mike Honda on April 29, 2015.{{Cite web|url = http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2015-04-national-day-of-reason-resolution-introduced-for-the|title = National Day of Reason Resolution Introduced for the First Time in U.S. House of Representatives|date = 29 April 2015|access-date = 7 May 2015|website = American Humanist Association|last = Miller|first = Merrill}} Another resolution to designate the National Day of Reason was sponsored by Representative Jared Huffman in 2018.{{Cite news|url=http://www.marinij.com/article/NO/20180502/NEWS/180509954|title=Huffman counters Trump with proposed National Day of Reason|last=Halstead|first=Richard|date=2 May 2018|work=Marin Independent Journal|access-date=2018-05-03|language=en}}
Activities
File:National Day of Reason in Minnesota 3.jpg
Several organizations associated with the National Day of Reason have organized food drives and blood donations, while other groups have called for an end to prayer invocations at city meetings.{{Cite web|url = http://nationaldayofreason.org/events/?id=3|title = Events|access-date = 7 May 2015|website = National Day of Reason}}{{Cite web|url = http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/blood.htm|title = Counter 'Day of Prayer' with Positive Action|date = 2006|access-date = 7 May 2015|website = Positive Atheism|last = Bronstein|first = Ken|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195438/http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/blood.htm|archive-date = 4 March 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/on-national-day-of-prayer-atheists-renew-call-to-end-invocations-at-tampa/1093064 |title=On National Day of Prayer, atheists renew call to end invocations at Tampa city meetings |date=May 6, 2010 |access-date=May 7, 2011 |author=Janet Zinc |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710040045/http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/on-national-day-of-prayer-atheists-renew-call-to-end-invocations-at-tampa/1093064 |archive-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Other organizations, such as the Oklahoma Atheists and the Minnesota Atheists, have organized local secular celebrations as alternatives to the National Day of Prayer.{{Cite web|url = http://mnatheists.org/|title = Minnesota Atheists|access-date = 7 May 2015}} Additionally, many individuals affiliated with these atheistic groups choose to protest the National Day of Prayer.{{cite news |url=http://nosacredc0w.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/national-day-of-reason-may-5-2011/ |title=National Day of Reason May 5, 2011 |access-date=May 7, 2011 |publisher=WordPress.com}}
Some politicians have supported the National Day of Reason. In Omaha, Nebraska, Mayor Jean Stothert signed a proclamation supporting the National Day of Reason and urging all citizens to "promote the development and application of reason. Her proclamation never once mentions a non belief in God or Prayer."{{Cite web|url = http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/05/03/omaha-mayor-issues-day-of-reason-proclamation/|title = Omaha Mayor Issues "Day of Reason" Proclamation|date = 3 May 2015|access-date = 7 May 2015|website = Friendly Atheist|publisher = Patheos|last = Mehta|first = Hemant}} City governments who affirm the National Day of Prayer have also been asked to consider affirming the National Day of Reason as well.{{Cite news|url = http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2015/04/request_to_recognize_national.html|title = Request to Recognize National Day of Prayer Highlights Schism among Roosevelt Park City Council|last = Anderson|first = Michelle D|date = 22 April 2015|work = MLive Media Group|access-date = 7 May 2015}}
Notes
External links
- {{official website|nationaldayofreason.org}}
- [https://weekofaction.org Secular Week of Action]
- [https://americanhumanist.org/press-releases/national-day-of-reason-resolution-introduced-in-the-us-house-of-representatives/ Day of Reason resolution introduced in US House of Representatives (2021)]
Category:Irreligion in the United States
Category:Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month)